Overall the year's resolutions didn't go too well, but I did have some successes. 1. Running more: This actually went pretty well, up until I started doing a TEFL course. I finished C25K (again), but when I started the course I was super busy and couldn't make time for running, so it went on the backburner. I do hope to start running again soon. 2. Be more productive: Yeah... no. I'm still just as much of a timewaster as I used to be. 3. Quit porn: This went fantastically after I started going out with my current girlfriend, for fairly obvious reasons. It started to creep back in lately (we've been living on opposite ends of the country, and for a while were in her parent's house, where we weren't even allowed to sleep in the same room). This is something I hope to continue to work on. 4. Save money: I don't even know. I didn't really watch what I was spending, so I guess I failed this one. 5. Walk barefoot: A resounding success! I walked barefoot almost constantly from March to October (only wearing shoes when I was told to in pubs or shops), stopping only because I started the aforementioned TEFL course and couldn't show up barefoot. I've been wearing shoes since I started it; it's time to take them off again. 6. Cold showers: This went really well up until about May. Then I started showering with my girlfriend. She likes really hot showers. I can no longer take cold showers like I used to. 7. Learn French: Never even started. 8. Learn 52 tunes for mandolin. Well, this went perfect for the first four months - I learned 16 tunes. Then I discovered that my picking is bad, and I need to learn alternate picking, which means I have to re-learn everything. I was so dissuaded by this that I haven't really touched my mandolin since May.
Get the mint app. It's amazing at keeping track of you automatically.4. Save money: I don't even know. I didn't really watch what I was spending, so I guess I failed this one.
What made you choose TEFL over CELTA? I was under the impression that CELTA was more common in your neck of the woods. I have a TEFL myself, and I haven't had any real trouble, but I understand that it's easier to get accepted to DELTA programs and work for various employers like the British Council and to become an IELTS examiner, for example. thenewgreen, TEFL is Teaching English as a Foreign Language certification.
Actually, I did a CELT, rather than TEFL; I just chose to use TEFL because I thought more people would know it. I'm under the impression that CELT is supposed to be the Irish equivalent of the CELTA, although I know someone who did a CELTA in Galway here in Ireland, so I'm not so sure.
It looks like the CELT is accredited by the Irish Department of Education, while CELTA is accredited by University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations. TEFL is not necessarily accredited, but may be by a company such as Accet. This is one reason why TEFL certification is generally seen as being of lower or dubious quality, so for me it was important to list my certification as "+150 hour, Accet accredited" for certain employers. I don't know how you plan to use yours, but I'd recommend getting a YL (young learner's) extension. Most newly minted teachers get gigs teaching kids because employers tend to see teaching kids as "easier" (it's not, if you're doing it right). Anyway, right off the bat, you'll be getting a higher salary (if the employer is worth their salt, which honestly, a lot of them are not). Anyway, with that credential it's easier to get a good paying job in a decent location.
Thanks for the tip! That might be a very good idea - I've already heard that new teachers are usually assigned young learners.
I stopped running for a while and just ran a couple of miles yesterday for the first time. My calves are killing me today. I'll go again tomorrow. I'm looking forward to the point when it feels good to run. I think on the whole you did pretty damned good with your resolutions. Nice work. You mentioned in another comment to me that you are trying to get to Dublin to be closer to your GF. Good luck with that! Glad to see you here.Running more: This actually went pretty well, up until I started doing a TEFL course. I finished C25K (again), but when I started the course I was super busy and couldn't make time for running, so it went on the backburner. I do hope to start running again soon.
-What is TEFL? I'm sure I should know, but I don't.Quit porn
-Girlfriends help :) Good luck with that.5. Walk barefoot: A resounding success!
-Awesome! How do you think this has impacted you?7. Learn French: Never even started.
-Vous êtes un fainéant8. Learn 52 tunes for mandolin. Well, this went perfect for the first four months - I learned 16 tunes. Then I discovered that my picking is bad, and I need to learn alternate picking, which means I have to re-learn everything. I was so dissuaded by this that I haven't really touched my mandolin since May.
-You ever just put on music and play along for fun? Just sort of "jam." Mandolin is a fun instrument to noodle around on to tunes.
Y'know, I don't think running itself ever felt good for me - always the time immediately after. As you've said before, running sucks. Barefooting is fantastic! My feet got tougher, and I think I stopped caring about what strangers think about me. It was kind of annoying, though, getting asked to leave certain places or to put shoes on. And the questions - oh the questions - that you keep on getting again and again. "Are you not wearing any shoes?!" The problem with my mandolin playing is that I don't actually know any chords... I've always just learned individual tunes. Chords are something I need to learn (not that learning a few chords is very difficult).